The optimal strategy for semelparous females may involve adjustments in the relative investment in two fitness components, the number of offspring and the post-hatching investment per capita. To determine the pattern of maternal resource allocation to offspring in the matriphagous spider, Amaurobius ferox (Amaurobiidae), I investigated the relationship between maternal body-mass and the number of offspring, and quantified the transfer of maternal body-mass to the offspring via different forms of maternal provisioning (trophic egg-laying and matriphagy). There was a positive relationship between female body-mass and the number of offspring. However, Amaurobius mothers did not produce more trophic eggs when they had larger broods. Rather, spiderlings in larger A. ferox broods consumed larger quantities of maternal body-mass via matriphagy. Mothers transferred 28.8±6.5% of their body-mass to the spiderlings via trophic egg-laying, and an estimated 39.0±12.5% of their body-mass was transferred to the spiderlings via matriphagy.

The optimal strategy for semelparous females may involve adjustments in the relative investment in two fitness components, the number of offspring and the post-hatching investment per capita. To determine the pattern of maternal resource allocation to offspring in the matriphagous spider, Amaurobius ferox (Amaurobiidae), I investigated the relationship between maternal body-mass and the number of offspring, and quantified the transfer of maternal body-mass to the offspring via different forms of maternal provisioning (trophic egg-laying and matriphagy). There was a positive relationship between female body-mass and the number of offspring. However, Amaurobius mothers did not produce more trophic eggs when they had larger broods. Rather, spiderlings in larger A. ferox broods consumed larger quantities of maternal body-mass via matriphagy. Mothers transferred 28.8±6.5% of their body-mass to the spiderlings via trophic egg-laying, and an estimated 39.0±12.5% of their body-mass was transferred to the spiderlings via matriphagy.